A patient taking valganciclovir (Valcyte) for cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis reports, "I'm having difficulty taking the tablets. Can I cut them in half?"
The nurse should inform the patient that the medication may not be cut in half because
a. the potential exists for mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.
b. the effectiveness of the pill could be lost.
c. when the coating is destroyed, a bolus of medication is released.
d. the first-pass effect in the liver is increased.
ANS: A
The tablets should be ingested intact, without crushing or chewing, because they have the potential for mutagenesis and carcinogenesis and should be handled carefully.
The pills effectiveness would not be lost by this action.
A bolus would not be delivered, and the first-pass effect would not be affected by this action.
You might also like to view...
When trying to explain to a new dialysis patient the movement of substances through the capillary pores,
the nurse will explain that in the kidneys, the glomerular capillaries have A) no capillary openings since this would lead to extensive hemorrhage. B) small openings that allow large amounts of smaller molecular substances to filter through the glomeruli. C) large pores so that substances can pass easily through the capillary wall. D) endothelial cells that are joined by tight junctions that form a barrier to medication filtration.
A client with ongoing metrorrhagia asks the nurse what she should do about the problem. Which of the following responses by the nurse is most appropriate?
A) "If it a small amount of bleeding you shouldn't worry." B) "Wearing a tampon and a perineal pad will help with absorption of the drainage." C) "It may help to cut back on your physical exercise." D) "When was the last time you had a pelvic examination?"
A patient has acute bronchitis with a nonproductive cough and wheezes. Which topic should the nurse plan to include in the teaching plan?
a. Purpose of antibiotic therapy b. Ways to limit oral fluid intake c. Appropriate use of cough suppressants d. Safety concerns with home oxygen therapy
The charge nurse on a hospital unit is developing plans of care related to separation anxiety
The charge nurse recognizes that the hospitalized child at highest risk to experience separation anxiety when parents cannot stay is the 1. 6-month-old 2. 18-month-old 3. 3-year-old 4. 4-year-old